Second Lancaster man guilty of hamster drug cruelty

Gemma Sherlock

A Lancaster man has pleaded guilty to a catalogue of animal cruelty offences.

Mr Nchinumya Ntembe, of Cypress Close, appeared before Lancaster Magistrates on Monday January 16 to enter his guilty pleas for five animal cruelty offences.

The 22-year-old has been charged with giving cannabis and a hallucinogenic drug, LSD to a hamster at a house in Kingsway, Heysham.

The defendant has also been charged with causing unnecessary suffering to two Mastiff type dogs called Faith and Zeus by failing to treat the cause of their poor body condition, causing unnecessary suffering to two Mastiff type dogs called Faith and Zeus by failing to provide adequate veterinary care for their facial and head injuries, and failing to meet the needs of two Mastiff type dogs, Faith and Zeus by proving them with a suitable environment.

Mr Ntembe will appear before Lancaster Magistrates for sentencing on February 6 at 1.30pm.

Corey Lee Salvatore Destrow was last week given an eight-week jail sentence for also giving cannabis and LSD to a hamster at a house in Kingsway, Heysham.

Destrow, 22, of Brock Close, Lancaster, was himself high on a cocktail of drink and drugs as the hamster chewed on a cannabis leaf and drank Tizer laced with a hallucinogenic drug.

Destrow’s co-defendant, Luke Gabriel Horn, 22, will serve an 18 month community order after pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a Mastiff Brindle dog called Troy by failing to treat the causes of his poor body condition, and failing to provide a suitable environment for Troy.